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Down seasons have been rare for the UTEP women's basketball team in the past decade, and when injuries led to rebuilding, they were always followed by a big bounce-back.

A Miner team with seven seniors and three juniors has plenty of reasons for optimism, and that's one of them.

Another one was practicing this week, fully charged up for a season that begins Sunday afternoon against a steadily improving Houston Baptist program.

"It's going to feel good," said swing player Chrishauna Parker, who missed last season with a concussion and much of the past month with a sprained ankle, an injured back and another concussion. "I didn't play last year, I couldn't play most of the preseason. To get back out there, it's going to be indescribable.

"We have to come out with intensity, especially on defense. Houston Baptist scored 90 points (in an exhibition a week ago). Rebounding is always my focus."

Coach Keitha Adams said, "She's working out the cobwebs, but it's really good to have her out there."

Rebounding and passing ace Parker fixes a lot on a team loaded at guard but faced with question marks in the two big positions.

Power forwards and centers went 5-of-18 from the field in the exhibition game against St. Mary's last week, with 6-foot-4 junior college transfer Tamara Seda accounting for eight of the 16 points there. She, seniors Agata Dobrowolska and Lawna Kennedy, sophomore Daeshianna McCants and freshman Wictoria Zapart give the University of Texas at El Paso a lot of options on the block.

The goal is to steadily build and improve there while integrating the newcomers, and during that transition UTEP can rely on a stacked backcourt. Point guard Starr Breedlove, who had 15 points, four steals, four rebounds and three assists in the exhibition game, adds a new dimension. All-conference guard Cameasha Turner was a steady 5-for-7 from the field, and Jenzel Nash showed flashes of her old self in her first game action after missing a year to pregnancy.

Sparkle Taylor and Lulu McKinney also had moments, as McKinney had eight points and four assists in the exhibition, most of those in transition.
Adams' short-term goal is more focused on playing better defense everywhere. As she pointed out and drilled into her team, Houston Baptist, which beat UTEP last season, put up 90 points in that exhibition against Division III Southwestern, although it lost at New Mexico 65-57 in its regular-season opener Friday.

"They beat us last year. We're going to have to play good defense, rebound and play together on offense," Adams said. "They have a good program, they've brought in some international players and they recruit Texas hard. It's going to be tough."

That's a fairly new thing. The Huskies went 1-27 in 2011-12, then 7-24, 12-17 and 15-18 last year that included the 87-77 win at the Don Haskins Center.

They did lose three of their four leading scorers from that team, with the top returnee Rachel Arthur, a 5-7 guard, who averaged 11.2 points per game last year. Anna Strickland, a 6-1 forward, scored 19 points with eight rebounds against New Mexico on Friday to lead Houston Baptist in that game.

New Mexico led 38-22 at the half and held the Huskies at arm's length the rest of the way.

As ever, though, UTEP's focus at this point in the season is on itself, and on the excitement of starting a new season full of expectations.

"We're emphasizing defense, always rebounding," Turner said. "We've got to get better and grow together. It's great to have Chrishauna back out there. We've been together since I was a freshman. It's great to get going."

The season's long journey starts Sunday afternoon.

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at 546-6151; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @bretbloomquist on Twitter.

Game detailsWhat: Houston Baptist at UTEP Miners in a women's nonconference basketball game